


Law of Superposition

by SherlockianonFire



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M, Jack will be coming and going ok?, adults themes in some chapters too, and the cheerful lot at the SGC, there will be mission violence in future chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2019-08-08 07:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16424588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianonFire/pseuds/SherlockianonFire
Summary: Law of Superposition: one of the fundamental principles of archaeology.This law states that strata that are younger will be deposited on top of strata that are older, given normal conditions of deposition.Or how our past is the base of our present.Has Daniel actually left all his past behind or would he take what the past brought to him to build a different future?





	1. Terminus Post Quem

**Author's Note:**

> Introducing Doctor Stratford to the SG-1 universe.  
> Hope you like this small work.
> 
> Terminus post quem (TPQ)  
> Literally, Latin for the ‘time after which’. A datable object provides a TPQ for the layer in which it is found, and all deposits stratigraphically above it, in the sense that the layer(s) must have been deposited some time after the date at which the object was manufactured. (Oxford Reference Dictionary on Archaeology.)

**Stargate Command – 2004**

     The conversation had been going on for about thirty minutes. Actually, it was difficult to call it a ‘conversation’ when the archaeologist had gone on a monologue, more like a rant according to General O’Neill, for most part of the time.

The topic didn’t seem to change and even if the younger man dropped it for a while, it always came back to bite him in the butt. By now, it was more banter than a proper request to leave the Milky Way for Pegasus. At least that day.

“I said _no_ , Daniel.” Jack said in the corridor, while some airmen saluted him.

“Why?” The archaeologist walked behind him like a very loud shadow.

“Because the last time, our first interstellar battlecruiser got hijacked, by a very sexy and very crazy galactic pirate I must say, and you with it.” O’Neill looked at him dead in the eye.

“That’s not a reason.” Daniel followed him through the stairs into the briefing room. “And her name was Vala Mal Doran.”

“Ha! You still remember her.” A wicked smile crossed Jack’s face.

Daniel fell silent. _Touché_.

“Listen, you're needed here, Daniel.” He added nonchalantly. “That’s why.”

Jackson crossed his arms and frowned a little, considering his next words.

“So, you’re accepting _you_ need me.”

“Yes, Daniel! I need you like the air that I breathe!” Jack shouted, hands in the air, patience gone.

“Thank you.” Daniel smiled.

“That’s it? That’s all you wanted to hear?”

The question floated in the air of Jack’s small office, when he saw the other’s man amusement.

“Pretty much, yeah. You should try saying that to Sam, too. You know, just in case.” Daniel whispered carefully.

“Dismissed Doctor Jackson.” He ordered. “Get out of here!”

Daniel disappeared gracefully after that command.

“Walter! Hey, Walter!” Friend or not, he was done for the day, but he was still a bit short of victims.

“General, the files are right on your desk since yesterday, please read them.” Harriman’s face showed up shortly  the door.

“Walter, this is a mess.”

The folder’s contents all mixed up, pictures out of their respective files, sheets of paper belonging nowhere.

“With all due respect, sir, you tossed them this morning because you were somehow displeased with the complaints from the mess hall, sir.” The Chief Master Sergeant added dutifully. This time facing the General, a scolding in his voice.

“Right.” O’Neill’s eyes wandered to the gate room, a trace of embarrassment in his tone. “So, this is it?”

“Yes, sir. Those’re the files of the new candidates for the SGC.”

“Thank you, Walter.”

     He hated the paperwork, but it was part of his job, not on this level of tediousness, but even when he was just plain Colonel O’Neill, he never fail to fill a mission report and well, at this moment he was just on the other side. He had _actually_ to read them.

The point was that now he had to deal with people on paper and he hated to deal with people on paper. There was no substance, no small tics to observe, twitches that would shed light on character flaws. He needed the real person in front of him to really determine if he could trust them or not. He couldn’t assign someone to an SG team without seeing them at least once face to face.

****

     It took him some time to begin reading, considering the mess he had created. He managed, somehow, to reorganize some of the files and catalogue the candidates into ‘boring’, ‘not that boring’ and ‘somehow interesting’ categories.

So far, he had identified some military ex brothers-in-arms, some scientists waiting for a transfer into Cheyenne Mountain and new scientists form the international community that were appointed by others brainiacs already working for the Stargate Program, good people, but _boring_.

Too many scientists for his taste. He didn’t hate them _per se_ , but heck they were a pain in the ass even just dealing with one. He corrected himself: he got two to deal with on a permanent basis, and many more pestering him at least once a day.

The Perks of Being _The_ General.

“So, who are you?” Jack scanned a random file, look at the picture and close the folder. “Boring.”

The file on a young cadet, with high physical abilities landed on the floor next to his chair: the _boring_ pile.

“Another scientist.” He huffed with the following file. A Doctor on something complicated like Daniel and Carter.

“Stratford, O. Oliver? Oscar? Otis? Olaf? Otto?  No picture.” He blamed himself internally for losing the photograph in the sea of papers on his desk.

“Linguist, not military, UCLA Master Degree in Languages and Sociology, Doctorate in Applied Linguistics from Oxford University, additional background in biology and history.”

That sounded alarmingly familiar. A shiver ran down his spine.

“No sports or hobbies… What a nerd!”

Jack closed the file in front of him, but his eyes focused on it one more time.

An idea whispered a name into his skull. Maybe this was a chance to delay an imminent catastrophe. Maybe, _just maybe_ Daniel needed a new project, something to entertain himself with and forget about Atlantis.

Maybe a new assistant, a new friend, a new _something_.

****

**SGC – Three Years Later**

     The SGC corridors were louder than other days. The buzzing of officers and technical personnel sounded more alive than ever. He was used to the noise by now. There were ten years into the Stargate Program - that without counting that gap year he took with his ascended friends of course, so the noise was nothing in comparison to the lockdown alerts or foothold alarms.

However, hearing Mitchell’s voice loud and clear addressing someone in a harsh voice was a bit unsettling. It was too early for the Southern grumpiness of his teammate. Still the commanding voice only reverberated in his head; and his lack of sleep increased the perception of it. He could smell fresh coffee from some offices; it must have been pretty early in the morning.

“What happened?” Daniel’s eyes moved from Mitchell to the officers the Colonel was talking to.

“Dismissed.” Cam ordered and kept glaring at the small group that walked away from him. “Oh, nothing. Just some inappropriate behavior from some lieutenants.” He literally chewed the words one by one.

“New?” Jackson analized the emptiness of his mug, which he had been carrying for no other purpose than to fill it again. Hopefully, with Sam’s fresh brew.

“Yeah, Landry is re-organizing some personnel to improve the rotation while off-world or when coverage is needed on the off-world bases.” Mitchell finally paid attention to his friend.

“Oh.”

“Heard someone’s coming to your department as well.” He added, his hands on his trousers’ pockets. A new destination in mind. He didn’t need to ask where they were going. The clues were obvious.

“I got plenty of help.” Daniel objected with a sigh. “No need for more.”

“Yeah, right.” Cam led the way to the lab. “That’s why you don’t let anyone near your precious artifacts; because you don’t need help, not because you don’t trust them.”

“It’s not I don’t _trust_ them.” Jackson explained, his sarcastic mode on. “But you know the side effects of those pieces, and well… they don’t deserve to be swept into different dimensions or realities just for helping me.”

“Oh, you like danger, don’t cha?” The Colonel joked.

“Oh, yeah.”

“You know what? You’d have prevented Landry’s decision by appointing someone yourself long time ago.” Mitchell pointed out. It wasn’t a secret that the good Doctor Jackson let things and people on hold when he was unveiling a new challenge of the universe. But something told the Colonel that this had been a very conscious effort from the archaeologist.

“I couldn’t after what happened to Robert and Sarah.” He became serious in an instant.

“Rothman and Osiris, right?” Cam looked at the ceiling of the corridor trying to remember the number of the mission reports in his head. “Both hosts.” He commented softly.

“Yes.” It was all that Daniel could say.  

“Well, let’s hope anyone coming here can deal with you.” Mitchell took a bow for the archaeologist before entering Carter’s lab.

“What do you mean?” Daniel asked puzzled.

Mitchell just pointed his finger to the kettle on the right corner of the lab.

Oh, there it was!

Coffee.

***

     It hadn’t been the first meeting of the morning, but certainly one he had been waiting for. Doctor Stratford had eluded the SGC petition to join the program for years and had finally changed her mind and taken the opportunity after the second call.

If something, the Doctor’s curriculum was impressive, not for the academic reasons exposed in it, which were expected from any personnel joining the SGC, but the experience she had and the references she displayed.

For Landry, Doctor Stratford was an _asset_ whose role was already decided.

“Doctor Stratford, I’m glad you have finally accepted our proposition.” Landry offered the visitor’s seat to his interlocutor.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner General, but my responsibilities in New York and Paris were difficult to abandon; but I’m here now and totally interested in your offer.” The academic excused the tardiness in the given response.

“I’m sure you won’t regret it.” The SGC Commander took a few seconds to observe the new employee and compare it to the picture and information on the file he had read a few weeks ago.

The problem with paper was that it couldn’t caption the essence of the one being described and with Doctor Stratford that seemed the case.

“I bet I won’t, after signing that non-disclosure agreement…”

An enigmatic smile was all that the general got.

“Well then, down to business.”

His blue eyes only confirmed what he had noticed: Doctor Stratford had potential.

***

     Sam knocked softly on the office’s door before crossing the threshold. She had heard of the interviews the general was conducting that week and she had no intention of interrupting.

“Sir, did you want to see me?”

“Colonel Carter, come in please.” Landry stood and Sam followed him standing at attention. “Colonel, I want to introduce you to Doctor Stratford; she will be helping us in the linguistics and anthropology department while your team is off-world.”

Carter looked at the woman in front of her: about her height, long straight hair in a chestnut brown color, fair skin and a pair of vivacious hazel eyes.  

“It’s an honor, Colonel Carter.” Stratford said in a firm but warm voice, her hand extended.

“Likewise, Doctor.” Sam held the delicate hand. The cautious way in which the woman moved and spoke startled her a little. “Would you be joining a SG team any time soon?” Her mind saved her.

“I don’t think so.” She said with a shrug, a very natural reaction. “I was told to keep my brain on Earth while you save the galaxy… besides I’m not military.”

“General?” Carter waited for an explanation on how much information this civilian had about the SGC.

“Doctor Stratford has already been given clearance to assist us, Colonel.” Landry provided. He could see how the gears moved fast in the Colonel’s head. “I’m sure she’ll get the details soon.”

“Welcome to Stargate Command.” Sam smiled politely at the woman.

“Thank you.” Doctor Stratford answered in the same way.

According to Sam, there was something sweet and intriguing in this woman. She hoped that time would tell her sooner than later what it was.

***

“A’right, T. tell us what would be our next mission?” Mitchell strolled next to the Jaffa to Landry’s office. Jackson let them take the lead while he talked with Harriman about something not he neither Teal’c cared about.

Teal’c raised his left eyebrow and continued his walk. “I suggest you to consult with General Landry.”

“Oh, man! Do you ever have some crazy ideas?” Cam asked impatiently. “Where would you like to go?”

“I’m afraid not, Colonel Mitchell.” Teal’c waited outside the open door of the general’s office. “Someone needs to be the voice of reason on this team.”

Cameron couldn’t answer the way he wanted before standing at attention at the sight of his superior.

“Colonel, Teal’c!” Landry invited them to join him and the others. “At ease, Mitchell.”

“Sir, sorry to interrupt. We’re looking for Carter.” He added already seeing Sam in there.

Sam and a woman he hadn’t seen before.

Mid-thirties probably, well-dressed, professional by the way she held herself and… attractive. Not in a mind-blowing way, but he could swear that in something else than the plain navy blue office dress she was wearing, she would be more than noticed around the base.

“You found me. What is it, Cam?” Sam giggled and took him out of his deductions.

General Landry caught the glances going from one to another and the newcomer and decided to take the lead with the introductions.

“SG-1, please welcome our new linguist…” He began to say.

“Sam, Walter said your diagnostic’s almost done. You should go and take a look yourself.” Jackson came in a hurry.

“Doctor Olivia Stratford.” Landry finished.

“Ollie?” Daniel stopped in his tracks. His voice betraying what his blue eyes were seeing.

“Danny?” The woman couldn’t believe what _she_ was seeing.

It had been so long.

Too long.

 

 


	2. Cross-dating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cross-dating: the establishment of the date of an archaeological site or level by comparing its distinctive traits with those of another site or level of known date that is assumed to be of similar age (Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary).

   He thought that the focus would be on the next mission, the risks, the possible findings, all the amazing things he could see and translate.

He couldn’t be more mistaken, though.

Now he had Mitchell - and Teal’c - following him around; Mitchell asking the awkward questions; Teal’c just listening, probably passing judgement on him but saying nothing, apart from the occasional raised eyebrow. 

“So, you knew her?” Mitchell walked beside him into his office. Did Mitchell sound excited to know?

“Yeah, from uni.” Daniel answered as matter-of-factly as possible.

Ok, the Colonel would cross the line any given moment, just wait for it.

“Jackson, you old dog! Tell me you did your move on her back then.”

Ok, there it was, the Colonel crossed the line.

“Wha… what?” Jackson looked at Cam puzzled.

“I believe Colonel Mitchell’s trying to know if you had any sort of non-professional involvement with Doctor Stratford back in your so called _college days_ , Daniel Jackson.” The very clear explanation from the Jaffa left no space for doubts.

“What?” He asked again, more like a defense mechanism than because of confusion.

“So, you did?” Mitchell insisted, now comfortably seated on Jackson’s table.

“None of your business.” Daniel declared, pushing the man away from his sheets full of writing and sketches. His eyes fixed on the pages masterfully ignoring Teal’c who certainly studied him.

The point was, he didn’t see himself answering a question like that after twenty years or so. _God, how was that twenty years had passed between him and Olivia?_

They were so close at that time. How had he forgotten her like that?

“So, you didn’t?” Mitchell insisted, this time invading Jackson’s personal space to get a satisfactory answer.

“None of your business.” Daniel slurred facing Cam.

Teal’c was having the time of his life just by seeing the dynamics between the two men. Daniel Jackson, who had been a nervous wreck when he first joined SG-1, defended his territory with renewed energy, and Colonel Mitchell, still struggling with his role inside the team, who wouldn’t quit only to assert his military authority.

“Sorry, the door was open.” An apologetic voice interrupted the quarrel.

“Oh, boy.” Cam recognized the voice and facepalmed himself backing away from the archaeologist.

“Of course it was.” Daniel removed his glasses fighting the urge to disappear or make himself invisible.

“Indeed.” Teal’c observed carefully how the people around him changed their behaviours in front of certain situations. It was a fascinating trait of the Tau’ri that he had grown fond of within the years.

“Olivia, please come in.” A short cough punctuated Daniel’s fast reaction.

“General Landry said I should report to you first thing every day. I know this isn’t my first day, but I was being given instructions and my security access card.” Olivia explained showing everybody her new badge. She wouldn’t admit she got a bit lost trying to find the offices, at least not yet. She knew she looked like an idiot wandering around the base, but it was _so_ big and, well, she was the new girl around, following the painted lines on the floor wasn’t that easy.

“Right!” Daniel gave her a warm smile to make her feel comfortable around them. “No problem.”

“I’m still looking for an office though.” She shrugged. “Colonel Mitchell, if you know of any storage rooms available, I would be more than grateful.”

“Of course, Doctor.” Cam stood at attention for her. “I’ll do my best.” Olivia beamed at him sweetly. Just the reaction he was looking for.

“You can work here… in the meantime… if you want to… of course…” Jackson added in pieces, his eyes rapidly inviting her to check his office, which seemed like a bad idea when he noticed the chaos in it.

“What about Vala?” Mitchell inquired in his all-knowing manner, arm crossed over his chest, eyes looking at the distance.

Vala would certainly riot and Daniel would pay dearly, and very slowly, for his offering. But, would he really care about it, when Mal Doran was on loan to SG-6 for a few days? Probably, not.

“She has no use of her desk here.” He said. His computer and desk invaded with colorful little notes with not so endearing words from Vala to him.

“Oh, man… you’re so dead.” Mitchell murmured a bit too loud.

“Vala Mal Doran would be certainly upset, Daniel Jackson.” Teal’c pointed out as wisely as ever. And he was right most of times.

A cold fear was starting to run down Daniel’s back at the thought.

“I don’t want to bother you or displace someone.” Olivia intervened with a look-over at the men’s faces. She felt a shiver too.

“You won’t and it’s fine.” Daniel played it cool in the best way he could and chose his words carefully. “If you’re gonna be my _assistant_ you need to learn as much as you can, and the only possible way is working…”

_“With me.”_

His mind completed in a millisecond. That was a surprise, even for him.

“By my side.” He remained as calm as he could.

“Very smooth, Jackson.” Cam snickered.

“I believe this to be true.” The Jaffa agreed.

Daniel wondered what part Teal’c was referring to.

“Sounds fair.” Olivia looked at them and laughed.

If someone would have told her that the male components of SG-1 were kids, she wouldn’t have believed it.

 

****

    Even though, she heard the heavy steps behind her, she reacted too slowly.

In front of her a tall woman of dark and semi-curly hair, with bright and inquisitive light blue eyes was literally towering over her examining every inch of her being with a dangerous spark in those eyes.

Something told Olivia to be careful of this woman, that she was a seasoned warrior in or out of the military. And even with that, the woman was beautiful.

She might have been near forty, wearing the green jumpsuit of the SGC, but with the badge of an SG team in her right arm.

SG-1

“So, you are the little rat that is taking my office and my man away from me?” She said scrutinizing Olivia carefully.

“Uh, I thought you would be… less pretty and maybe an inch taller.” She took a step back and continued with her assessment.

“Sorry, you are…?” Stratford couldn’t place a name to the face. It wasn’t Colonel Carter.

“Vala.” The woman smiled. “Vala Mal Doran. SG-1’s sexy and resourceful companion.” A slender hand extended towards her awaited.

“Nice to meet, Miss Mal Doran.” Olivia shook the hand a bit unsure. Was Vala trying to intimidate her? Because it was clearly working. “I’m…”

“Doctor Stratford.” Vala completed. A carefree hand played with her dark hair in ponytails. “I know, I read your file, you’re truly smart, aren’t you?” She tilted her head still analyzing Stratford.

“Not as much as Daniel, but yes.” Olivia took some distance from Vala, placing some old books on the shelves.

“Nobody’s such a brainiac as Daniel.” Vala pointed at her own head and made a face of disgust.

“Too true.” Stratford granted. She knew that from decades past.

“So, would you be working here?”

“If you don’t mind.” Olivia explained. “I really need to study the Asgard and Ancient languages.”

“Daniel’s a great teacher, a bit quirky and impatient, but rather nice when you get to know him.”

“Thanks for the warning.” That sounded like a fair assessment. Apparently, some things never really left them.

“Ok, I’m taking my stuff and leave you to it.”

Olivia showed her a box behind the door with a few pieces inside.

“I put it carefully in that box behind you, Miss…”

“Just call me Vala.”

“Olivia.” Stratford pointed at herself.

She picked up the box, smiled and disappeared.

 

****

“So, how’s the moving?” Sam waited with her tray carefully next to Olivia.

“Colonel Carter.” Stratford moved her notes and her own tray from the table and offered a free chair.

“Sam, please.” The Colonel sat and examined her blue jello as it were the main course of the day. Stratford could only think she was fortunate to chat with Samantha Carter.

She had been reading the first SG1’s mission reports as background for her studies in alien languages with the surprise that Sam Carter had been a fundamental part for the whole program to work, that and the fact that she was the foremost expert on gate technology on the planet and probably the galaxy.

Sam Carter, with her big greenish-blue eyes, was inspiration itself; literally a muse for so many and a real honor to have her around.

“It’s going fine.” Olivia commented, leaving her musings for another time; her fork struggling with some very green broccoli. “Vala was very generous.”

And in all honesty, Mal Doran had been generous. Any time she visit the office it was to visit Daniel, mess with his notes and use his computer. Never to talk to her more than it was considered necessary or polite.

“What about Daniel?” Sam asked a light tone in her voice.

“He’s caring and generous…” Stratford saw Carter very interested in her answer.

_“As always”_

Her own brain added, a shy smile showed up on her lips. Olivia felt that some things never change, and apparently the soft side of Daniel Jackson was still there somewhere according to her brain.

Daniel had been around at different times during that week, mostly because SG1 was off-world. He had, though, left some very interesting homework for her to practice, apart from a manual he had been working on for the Asgard language. All of it in his messy handwriting and lopsided notes.  

“You certainly surprised him.” Sam continued; a glass of water now on her hands.

“Yes and he surprised me too.” Olivia recalled.

The memories of their first meeting at the SGC flew in front of her.

◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦

_“Ollie?”_

_“Danny?”_

_“Oh, my… Ollie!” Daniel had said opening his arms to hold her with such happiness in him._

_“Danny, I can’t believe it!” It was a reflex, her body moved towards his and embraced the man she knew so many years ago. “I heard so many things, I thought you were…”_

_“Dead?” He took her by the shoulder to look at her face. “Well, when you live under a mountain in Colorado Springs, you’re sort of dead.” Bullet dodged._

_“Oh, Danny…” She had so many things to tell him. “I’m so glad to see you again.” It was the only one that made sense at the moment._

_“I take it as you already knew each other.” General Landry interrupted the moment and both remember they weren’t alone in the world._

_“Yes, General.” Jackson managed to say, his body slightly more tense than before. “Back in uni.”_

_“Gosh, like fifteen years ago.” Olivia took some distance from the archaeologist._

_“No kidding!” Sam interjected. Mitchell and Teal’c agreed._

_“Then, I don’t expect any trouble from you two working together?” Landry asked, his gaze travelling from one linguist to another._

_“Of course not, sir.” Daniel assured the people around him._

_“It’s a real pleasure to learn from the best.” She added actually at ease with this new development._

◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦

“He’s grown quiet, though.” Olivia told Sam, still thinking of Daniel.

“Daniel? Yes, he has.” Carter granted. Jackson had become quieter with time, even being more of a fighter than a linguist now. Who would blame him after all he had lived at the SGC?

“A life with the military’s never easy for a spirit like Daniel’s.” Sam commented more for herself than for Stratford.

“I hope to have better luck.”

“I’m sure you will.” Colonel Carter promised.

 

****

     The gate opened and the vortex washed over the ramp like a wave; an intense blue that suddenly brought memories to his mind.

A memory he didn’t know he had. 

◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦

_Shimmering blue like a day at the beach, suddenly he could feel the sun over his head and the tide pulling him in and out. He felt at peace, free from any worry. He could recall the colors around him, the voices, the happiness, all details from a moment in the past._

_A pair of delicate arms emerged from the water and rested over his shoulders. His own arms embraced the slim body brought to him by the waves. Golden eyes fixed on his face, wet hair sticking to her face; his hands combed the chestnut mess around her features while water drops ran down her cheeks._

_He didn’t remember what she said, he wasn’t paying attention, it was too distant, too forgotten, he just saw those lips moving, sound lost among the waves, seagulls and laughter._

_And it was a spark._

_A sudden hunger that felt more like a dream. A touch of her lips, breathing the essence of a summer day; something he has wanted to do for a long while._

◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦ ❁ ◦ ❖ ◦

“Jackson.” A hand shook his shoulder a bit too hard. “Hey, Jackson!”

“What?” His wide open eyes betrayed his surprise at the contact.

“Hey, Sunshine, Landry’s waiting for us.” Cam said already on his way to the General.

“Now?” Daniel seemed glued to his spot in the control room.

“You ok?” Mitchell approached the archaeologist trying to identify whatever the source of Jackson’s distraction.

“Yes, yeah…” Daniel kept his eyes on the gate now covered by the iris. “Funny… We spent so much time trying to forget what hurt us, instead of remembering what made us happy.” A sigh accompanied the statement.

“You sure you’re ok?” Mitchell walked again.

“Oh, yes, better than ever.” Daniel followed the other man, literally strolling to Landry’s office.


	3. Assemblage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Assemblage: artifacts that are found together and that presumably were used at the same time or for similar or related tasks (West Virginia Department of Art, Culture and History).

 

    His last mission report was now on Landry’s desk; he’s got a clean bill of health from Doctor Lam and a few hours to rest before preparing for his next assignment with SG-9: a planet with open ruins and nice inhabitants willing to share their culture.

His first stroll around the base would be to find Olivia and answer some of her many questions on the mission reports she was reading as part of her induction to the SGC. Stratford took the time to leave very organized post-its on his computer screen. He could tell they were chronologically presented and most of them were comments like:

‘ _Sam was to be traded?_ ’   
‘ _A cave man? Who would have said your allergies could save you one day!_ ’  
‘ _The Nox. Awesome folks… Wait a minute… You died!_ ’  
‘ _Alien like the Roswell one, right?_ ’  
‘ _Meaning of life stuff? I’ve heard that one before._ ’  
‘ _You died… AGAIN!_ ’  
‘ _A second gate on Earth? You hit your head hard, are you ok? Don’t answer that, the outcome’s pretty obvious._ ’  
‘ _Another reality. I need to talk to Sam for this one, right?_ ’  
‘ _YOU DIED AGAIN!!!_ ’

Daniel Jackson could now laugh at some of those experiences, but heck it wasn’t funny the first time around. It was nice to have someone who was interested in SG-1’s exploits through the years not like Mitchell, who was SG-1’s golden groupie when he first showed up.

Olivia’s still got a healthy curiosity in her, not like the envy-fueled visions from the Pentagon’s people. For her, it was all new and amazing; she fought so hard to keep it professional and not show herself permanently in awe. Those little colored squares were more a private conversation with him, and him only, than practical enquiries about work and she deserved a kind explanation for them, someone who would tell her the shades of each mission or mishap.

Her new office - _Oh yeah, she’d got an office_ , he realized when he didn’t find her and her stuff in his lab - was nothing more than a small room with no windows, like all the offices under the mountain. A well artificially-lighted room indeed, simple furnished, but functional; some shelves, desk, computer, printer, phone and closet, nothing fancy, very military.

She had worked her way in the space though. Someone who knew her enough would definitely say that Doctor Olivia Stratford worked there. It was a nice start for her at the SGC.

Daniel took some time to study her before crossing the open door.  She was typing rapidly in front of her computer, clearly translating something. He could tell by the movement of her eyes over the screen; back and forth, up and down, middle part of a sentence, beginning and end or vice versa. In a way it was a beautiful form of art, apart from being a very complex cognitive exercise. It was like seeing a pianist playing Franz Liszt’s _La Campanella_.

She was wearing glasses of dark frames and light lenses, something he hadn’t seen before; her hair in a loose ponytail, still in civilian clothes and a very dark mark on the right side of her face. _That_ wasn’t there when he left.

He waited for her to notice his presence and when she didn’t, he spoke.

“Ok. You don’t look too good.”

His deep voice pulled her back into reality. Olivia just fixed her eyes on him wondering at what point in time his voice had become an interesting feature of him. It had always being soothing and jovial. _A touch of naiveté_ , he had said once. Now it was a mixture of sarcasm, military and archaeological slang most of the time.

Daniel kept looking at her with a soft smile on his lips. He pointed his right eye and then hers.

“Oh.” She touched her face and hit her glasses. The purple bruise between her cheek and eye pulsed in response. She flinched and so did Daniel. “It… it’s nothing. How was your mission?”

He approached the desk carefully; a shy movement, fearing he would drop a book or a plant around him.

“Good. Locals were friendly, possible naquadria deposit, which had made Sam happy; Mitchell concerned; Vala bored; Teal’c unimpressed, and myself just glad.” His shoulders went up and down, his eyes closed and a forced smile showed up and vanished in a second.

“You don’t even look glad.” Olivia took her glasses off and cleaned them with the hem of her blouse.

“Well, there was nothing for me this time and that means there’s nothing for you either.” He said discouragingly.

“With me doing military induction every morning since last week and for the next twenty one days; and then working here in _very_ irregular shifts, I’m not that unhappy.” She explained in one breath.

Military training? Jack’s recommendation, of course. That explained the bruise on her face.

“You got an office, though.” Daniel moved his hands in circles clearly pointing at the walls and shelves. Already full of books and plants; some habits were really hard to break after all.

“You were right, Walter’s a sweetheart.” She just added in a tone that was pure joy.

“Walter? First name basis, uh? What did I miss Doctor Stratford?” His eyebrows raised, his mouth displayed a mocking smile and his eyes shone with mischief.

“Not much, Doctor Jackson.” Olivia sat back in her chair. She took a good look on the man in front of her, curious and playful already.

“Apart from Doctor Lee, sorry _Bill_ , inviting me for lunch; Felger asking me out, indirectly of course, in front of his cute girlfriend; getting lost on floor twenty two, forgetting my salad at home, getting a call from the moving company, and the _very_ young lieutenant at the check point inquiring what my schedule was, not much.” She once again flew over her words.

Daniel wondered if he sounded the same way when he was high in archaeology and languages. If he did, now he understood many things about his life at the SGC and his geek status during the first years.

“Ok. Certainly, one of us has got a life.” He pointed out and noticed how uneventful his life was outside of missions. “Having said that, I think I should leave, so you can rest for what’s left of your crazy day.”

“You’re always welcome to visit.” Olivia finally left her fortress behind her desk. “But, I warn you, I only have tea.” She glanced to a corner on her right.

“Nobody’s perfect.” Daniel grimaced.

“Hey, I am!” She replied and a punch landed in his left arm.

“Ow!”

Olivia looked fragile, but hell she knew how to throw a punch, even as a joke.

His arm hurt.

_«_ _INCOMING WORMHOLE_ _»_

The red lights flashed and the sirens echoed around the base.

“Ah, and that too!” Olivia literally jumped at the loud sound. She hated it already.

“Have you seen it?” Daniel asked lost in his head, not sure if he wanted to leave or stay. “The gate? Working?”

“No, I try not to get my hopes high.” She was the one that shrugged this time.

“Come with me.” He tilted his head towards the corridor.

     If he was correct, SG-7 had its daily report while off-world, that would make an excellent opportunity to introduce his new _assistant_ to the heart of Stargate Command.

Olivia just followed him through the confusing passages and colored lines on the floor until they were in the meeting room. They could hear Landry and Harriman in the control room talking to the unit.

Stratford moved unconsciously towards the blue light coming from the window. Daniel enjoyed the view calmly. His friend mesmerized by the _Doorway to Heaven_ and he pleased with his achievement.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” He whispered, afraid of breaking the spell that was the gate itself.

“Impressive…” It was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

“So, are you serious about not going off-world?” The archaeologist questioned.

He couldn’t believe that it was actually out of reach for her. Everybody there had crossed the event horizon at least once and suddenly it wasn’t an option for Doctor Stratford.

“It’s in my contract.” Olivia declared; her warm eyes on his for the first time. “I’m supposed to do your job when you are not around.”

“Off-world.”

“In case of incapacity.” She recalled.

“Me being wounded.” He listed for himself.

“Or after leaving the program.” She finished.

“Me being fired or quitting.” That sounded reasonable for him.

“Yeah...” A sigh reverberated in the room. “And since you’re here, in full capacity and not fired, you keep going your merry way.”

And now he felt guilty for having the dream life for any explorer on Earth.

“Not that I want your job, but it would be nice to cross it and feel what is like.” She squished his left shoulder reassuringly, when it should have been the other way around.

“You will. You’ll find out that here there’s a big margin for interpretation when it comes to regulations about the technical and linguistic needs for different missions.” A silent promise to her, one he really intended to keep.

“Thank you, Daniel.”

She knew a promise when she heard one and couldn’t expect less from Daniel Jackson. She could tell he felt pity for her. It was like the _Torment of Tantalus_.

“Wanna see it up close?” His tone was casual, the offering kind. She would say yes, he was sure of it.

“Nah, it’s ok.” She wrinkled her nose and her head moved in negation.

Daniel snorted in amusement. So many years and she still could surprise him in the silliest of ways. He had missed those little moments of innocence and the wrinkling nose.

It was oddly cute.

“Does it scare you?” He whispered again closer to her.

“Hell, yeah.” She laughed and he laughed with her.

****

“Returning borrowed books! Clear the way, please!”

     Vala, back in the lab after forced exile, ran to her rescue holding half of the books in her arms. She wondered how Olivia had made it to the lab without falling, crashing or killing someone by accident.

Mitchell had pointed out that the new _female geek_ was quite physically skilled, which apparently was a rare find among the geek race. According also to the Colonel, Jackson had developed his balance and reflexes by pure training and force of will, in comparison to Stratford that seemed a natural athlete.

Olivia took a minute to rest by the archaeologist’s desk.

“You didn’t need to bother.” He said taking the books one by one from Vala’s hands and repositioning them on the corresponding shelves.

Olivia and Vala observed him organizing the stuff almost by memory. It took him a quick glance at the spines of the volumes to put them up or down the wall with ease.

“Hey, I was thinking we should go and have dinner together as a _welcome party_.” Daniel started fidgeting with the last book in his hands.

“Oh, for once you have a good idea, Daniel!” Vala cheered and sat in his desk as always.

“You’re not invited, Vala.” He told her and pushed her away from his already creased drafts. He would have to write his notes all over again.

“Of course, she is!” Olivia replied fast. “As are the rest of the team and Carolyn. They all have been total sweethearts with me.” Vala gave her a thumb-up in gratitude.

“That was the idea.” Jackson corrected.

And it was; he was just messing with Vala. In fact, he had wanted to take Olivia out with or without company. He felt he owed her that. Maybe this was a good excuse to talk a bit more of something that wasn’t the Stargate and the military.

“You’re so mean, Daniel!” Vala pouted, arms crossed over her chest in protest.

“He was just messing with you.” Stratford comforted her. Because of course Daniel was messing with her.

“Were you?” Vala asked not trusting the man.

“Was I?” Daniel frowned and got punched again. “Ow!”

Vala was definitely not laughing, as wasn’t Olivia.

****

     Mitchell enjoyed his second beer with Vala by his side drinking champagne. She said that if Daniel was paying she would get what she wanted. Nothing stopped her, not even Sam clarifying that they were celebrating Olivia. Daniel didn’t want to clarify either that it was a shared bill as always. SG-1 already had planned to welcome the new linguist, something Doctor Lam had also agreed.

Good thing was that O’Malley’s had lifted the prohibition for SG-1 long ago under one condition: no fights at the pub. And they had kept their word so far.

“So, I heard you got a house.” Sam said. A big hamburger in her plate waiting to be devoured.

“Yes!” Olivia tried her own. “I need more than a hotel room if I’m going to live here on a permanent basis.” It was the first time she was around the city discovering it as a nice place to live.

“What about the moving?” Carolyn questioned trying to find the best way to eat her nachos.

“Everything arrived yesterday.” Ollie continued, ketchup on her fries. “It’s a mess. I think that only my room is kind of functional.” She needed a good bed and that was her priority. The rest of the house could wait, especially considering she painted her bedroom and most of the space was filled with boxes.

“Colorado Springs welcomes you!” Vala chirped.

“Hear, hear!” Mitchell and Daniel joined her.

“If you need assistance with your house, please let me know, Doctor Stratford.” Teal’c offered.

“Oh, thank you Teal’c, that’s so sweet of you.” She said and doubted to ask how was possible for him to eat two steaks a big basket of fries.

“We have ladies nights with Sam, you’re invited to the next one, right Sam?” Vala commented, now drinking wine.

“Of course.” Carter happily agreed. It would be nice to have more women to talk to.  “Sometimes we do it on base, though.”

“Carter?” Mitchell asked in disbelief.

“Fine with me.” Olivia ignored Mitchell. Carter had gained every right to do what she pleased. “Not that I have much to do off base.”

“You should totally count me in for the next one.” Doctor Lam requested. A bit of desperation on her voice. She was so in need of a break from the weird stuff that hid under Cheyenne Mountain.

She and Olivia had become good friends, mostly because Carolyn still saw herself as a stranger at the SGC. Stratford herself was the new girl and Lam had adopted her to have company around all those military types on the base.

“Sure.” Sam promised. Now they would be four and in a sense she wished Janet would have been there too.

“Then… To Olivia!” Daniel held his glass of wine in the air for a toast.

It was good to see his friend was adapting to Colorado so well. Saying he wasn’t scared for her feeling lonely or alienated would have been a lie. He only hoped to have some more time to spend with her and make her feel at home.

“To Olivia!” The others chanted.

“To Doctor Stratford.” Teal’c said.

“Seriously?” Mitchell almost choked.

****

    They were playing another round of pool. Vala expertly learning from Sam, who had beaten Cam four times already; Daniel watching the game with Olivia, who was sipping another beer; Teal’c praising Carter for her abilities, with Carolyn overwhelmed with Cam trying to teach her his technique, which was useless considering that Sam had kicked his ass four times already.

“So, I really want to know about this Stratford-Jackson friendship.” Mitchell took a break and joined both scientists by the bar. “Tell me, Doc, how was it?” He asked Stratford.

“We studied together, that’s all.” Daniel intervened.

“Actually… We never studied together.” Olivia corrected him with a smirk that meant trouble.

“Liar!” Vala shouted from the other side of the room.

“Wait a minute…” Olivia stopped them before pointing at Daniel and adding. “I studied _him_.”

“You go, girl!” Carolyn cheered and the rest laughed.

Olivia joined the laughing while Daniel tried to control the shade of red spreading through his skin.

“What I meant was I studied his works on archaeology related to linguistics. Doctor Jackson had many papers published on my master’s degree dissertation area.” Ollie clarified. It was priceless to see Jackson all embarrassed with something so simple.

“Wow! How old were you? Twenty-five? Twenty-six?” Mitchell pretended to do math. He knew Jackson was a genius and all, but apparently Stratford belonged to the same club.

“Twenty-one.” Daniel told him. “Just like me.”

“And you were a Doctor already?” Doctor Lam couldn’t believe it.

“In archaeology, yes!” The linguist felt a bit out of place with the questioning. His past wasn’t some dark story, but he understood that not many people knew about him as ‘old Danny. The Geek.’

He shoved Olivia softly and said. “And she was a Master’s student at the same age.”

“You were an advanced student too!” Sam connected to dots quickly.

“Top of her class.” Daniel continued. It was his turn to embarrass his friend. “She got it all, the smarts, the looks, the charms. She was just perfect.” He gave Stratford a fond smile.

“Not true, I wore big glasses. Myopia. Not that pretty girl.” Ollie told them and mimicked the glasses with her hands on her face. “I was an Owl, I still am.”

It was true, she wore contacts most of the time, but she would favor her glasses; they were safer and healthier. Besides, she had had corrective surgery years ago and her myopia was very low.

“Daniel finds beauty where nobody can.” Vala replied looking at both of them. Olivia could tell she wasn’t happy.

“Eh, I guess that was meant as a compliment but sounded really bad.” Sam wasn’t sure if she could fix the statement or not.

Everybody was laughing, though. Not damage caused then. It was safe.

Olivia shook her head and sipped on her beer.

“Anyway, Daniel came to work at UCLA, gave a very tedious speech that I attended and by the end of the lecture I had enough courage to ask him some questions, that he answered with his best knowledge in a very clumsy way.” She summarized perfectly.

“Oh, the clumsy _Doctor_ Jackson.” Sam reminisced kindly. “I missed those days.”

“No, Sam, you don’t.” Daniel rolled his eyes. Teal’c stood stoic and Daniel took it as agreement. “No one does.”

“Some years later, we parted ways and never saw each other until a few days ago.” Stratford finished in a more serious tone, nothing like the cheerful one she usually used.

“Lots and lots of years later.” Daniel added a bit melancholic himself.

“Ok, to friendships then, friendships that endure time and grow old.” Mitchell toasted to the recently reunited friends.

“To friendship.” Teal’c reached for his juice and joined the pledge. After years on Earth, he still avoided alcohol and no one ever tried to convince him to drink. He felt safe that way, it was part of his own alien culture.

“To friendship.” The rest of them said.

    Daniel observed Olivia. Both had changed so much and there was still that silent understanding, that secret that only the two of them knew and nobody could decipher.

_A little bubble for the geeks._

She wondered if he really had regained all of his memories and this _liking_ between the two of them was true or if it was pure gentlemanliness of him.

When the toast was done an awkward silence surrounded them all, only Carolyn reacted fast enough to prevent further complications.

“Ok, it’s late and we have a heavy day tomorrow.” She declared and all of SG-1 snapped out of the bubble.

“Actually, we don’t.” Sam said. A ‘sorry not sorry’ smile danced in her face.

“Landry gave us some down time.” Cameron gave up the game he would surely lose.

“That’s… that’s great!” Lam rejoiced for her companions. “Sorry, guys, but I’m not that lucky, I’m on duty tomorrow and I must take my leave.” She took a bow.

“I agree with Doctor Lam, we should all go have some needed rest.” Teal’c would drive for sure since Colonel Mitchell wasn’t as sober as a driver should be.

“A’right.” Cam led the way out of O’Malley’s.

****  

     Daniel offered to take Sam and Olivia, but Sam declined; her sobriety almost intact. Daniel just gave her a knowing look and let her go promising she would send him a message to know she was ok back home. Of course she would.

Mitchell declared he would be taking Vala, Carolyn and Teal’c back to the mountain. The Jaffa just pushed him on the passenger seat and took charge of the vehicle. He would make sure the colonel had a good rest and no time behind the wheel.

Vala complained she wanted to join Daniel and the others but Cam just pulled her inside the car before she could start making demands.

“I know you’re doing this so they can be alone, Mitchell.” She was poking his head from behind his seat. “And I don’t like it.”

“Vala, look… They’re friends and they’re just getting acquainted with each other.” Cam explained. It was normal and even encouraged to let Daniel have a life. “Let Daniel have his space.”

“You sure about this _friends_ thing?” Mal Doran insisted. Carolyn tried to keep her laughing at bay.

“Ya’re sick jealous of Olivia, aren’t ya?” Mitchell asked already knowing the answer.

“No, I’m not.” A childish kick on the back of his seat proved Mitchell he was right.

“She’s just too smart and too pretty to be near Daniel.” Vala pointed out. “You know how he is.”

“Vala Mal Doran, Daniel Jackson is nothing but an honest man.” The deep voice of the Jaffa made everybody to behave.

“I know, Muscles!” Of course Teal’c would defend his longtime friend. “And that’s the problem. He’s an idiot!”

Carolyn noticed that even being tipsy, Mitchell could still read people perfectly and this was absolutely intentional as Vala had so fiercely stated.

****

     They parked Daniel’s jeep outside of a probable light blue house. Daniel couldn’t tell if it was white or blue with the dark night covering the city. Neither of them moving or talking, just admiring the night full of stars through the windows.

“So, you think you can settle here?” Daniel asked good-naturedly, his eyes fixed in the stars above them.

“It’s been less than a month and damn! There’s so much going on!” Olivia exclaimed. She had wanted to say that the whole night but being in a public place talking about military secrets didn’t seem like a good strategy.

“It can be overwhelming, I know.” He gave her a warm smile.

“It’s so big and scary.” Her hands moved in all directions as if she could cover the infinity that was the universe.

“Yes, it is.” Daniel agreed. “But it won’t be like this forever.”

“Is the amusement ever gone?” She sounded disappointed and scared that wonder could disappear too soon.

“Not at all.” Jackson corrected. “You just learn to enjoy it.” And it was true, at the beginning all was marvel and hope, then it turned into fear and resilience.

“Thank you, Daniel. I’m sure it would get easier.” Ollie took his right hand in hers. “I’m so glad to have you here.”

Even in the dark, he could feel her big brown eyes looking at him, those eyes that always told him the truth; her hands felt like an anchor to a reality he never could quite grasp on his own.

“Anything you want.” He promised. He knew he shouldn’t have done that, but he felt it.

Olivia wasn’t a little girl anymore, but somehow Daniel made her feel that way. She let go of his hand and focused on something else.

“What a beautiful night!”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” He followed her example; now leaning over the wheel, away from her contact.

“It reminds me of Egypt.” She started laughing. “The last night.”

“Oh, no!” He had remembered that too the first week she was around. “You still remember that?” That made all his internal alarms to sound in unison.

“Of course, it was a serious blow to my self-stem.” Olivia looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. Daniel Jackson was retreating.

“It was a mistake.” The archaeology explained not sure if he was taking the best decision. “I was drunk.”

Ok, that wasn’t wise.

“You, lightweight!” Stratford tried to pinch his arm but he moved closer to the door, no safety belt stopping him. “You were trying to kiss me and ran to throw up.”

“And you said: _I’m not that ugly, Jackson!_ ” He defended his drunkenness at twenty in Egypt. Jack would be in hysterics if he ever heard this story.

“You remember that!” Olivia covered her face with her purse. This was embarrassing enough just to mention it, but with Daniel remembering her reaction was even worse.

“I never forget it… well not consciously at least.” Jackson himself wanted to disappear for a few minutes. “I was playing brave and I ruined it… _very me_.”

“Good thing we grew up.” She told him, some giggles in the air.

“Yes, good thing.” He said sharing the moment.

The memory he had had in the gate room had been echoing in his head for a few days now and he wanted so badly to know if it was real or not. This was the moment to ask.

“Ollie…” He started.

“Oh, gosh it’s late!” She exclaimed with her phone in hand checking the time in the dark car. She had training the next morning.

“Yeah, it is.” He was sure it was pretty late, but there was no rush, was it? Maybe this wasn’t the time to ask her.

“Eh, Danny… Thank you.” She struggled with her jacket under the safety belt.

“Thanks to you.” Daniel let it loose for her. “See you soon?” His voice trembled with hope. He made a mental note for himself of how ridiculous it was to ask that. They worked together.

“Sure.” Olivia took advantage of the move and gave a short hug. “Good night.”

“Good night.” It was all he could say before she jumped out of the jeep and ran to her house.

****

   Since he saw Olivia again after twenty years, he had forced himself to remember the years he spent with her. He had remembered pieces and images of what he would call ‘happy memories’, he did try to remember bad ones but those were taken more time to re-surface. For now the happy part of his college years had been a pleasing surprise.

In his bed, alone in the dark, he relived the day. He had laughed, he had laughed a lot and that only relaxed him in a way that let his mind free to remember at its own pace.

_He saw himself sat alone in a small cafeteria, the last colors of spring outside of the window. The sound of students filling the atmosphere, at times too loud for him, especially when working on phonetic transcriptions, only took his concentration away. Silly of him to think he would be on his own before the formal beginning of the term._

_A group of boys and girls in colorful jackets passed by his table and sat behind him talking loudly._

_“Look, all I’m saying is this guy deserves to be listened to.” A young female voice said._

_“Ollie, he’s just another professor too full of himself that will dismiss all of our questions and comments.” One of the guys replied._

_“If we try to pick his work he would make sure we never graduate.” Another boy added._

_They hadn’t even started the term and were already making assumptions about the teachers. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes in incredulity._

_Daniel hoped not to have them as students in his seminar._

_“God helps you, you cowards!” The girl called Ollie spat annoyed. “I’m going to that lecture, ask his opinion on the lack of writings on the pyramids and write that damn paper for class.”_

_Wait a minute; that sounded familiar to him. Lack of writings on the pyramids? Were they talking about archaeology? Would it be possible for these kids to be his students for the master degree program? He looked at them through the reflection of the window. They were young, too young, young like him._

_This wasn’t going to work._

_“Ha! People say he’s a genius, why would he answer you?” The second guy asked gingerly._

_“He’d tell you the aliens did it and you’d believe him.” The first guy spoke again. Was that joke?_

_Daniel knew he would have problems with this one in class._

_“Why not?” The girl defended her future teacher. “I don’t know if he’s right or wrong, but he might have a point.”_

_He liked that. She had an opinion and didn’t sound judgmental._

_“Even if it’s crazy, it wouldn’t be the first time a crazy theory sheds some light into historical linguistic problems, guys.” She continued, this time more passionately._

_“You know your mother’s gonna be disappointed on you, right?” The problem-to-be guy said mockingly._

_“You mean more?” The girl, Ollie, showed a rather sour sense of humor._

_“Ok, let’s agree on something, if the guy proposes a crazy theory, you buy us a full meal next Friday.” Another girl, a new one, proposed. Apparently she was company, not active part of the group._

_“Done!” Ollie accepted. “It’s a bet.”_

_“At least, we know we’ll listen to an old man talking.” One of the guys commented._

_“As usual.” Ollie laughed._

_“You like older men, don’t you?” The guy insisted._

_“Ha!” She laughed louder again. “Tell that to my mom, Beraldi.”_

Daniel took a deep breath and could feel himself smiling while the warm memory lulled him to sleep.

It was such a fond memory, one he had thought he had lost.

****

   After dinner and her short trip home with Daniel, she drowned herself in preparations for the next days, so into it that it was almost midnight by the time she finished.

Before sleep, she decided for a hot shower to take away the burden of her day at work. She’d have preferred a glass of wine in her hand while in a bubble bath, but soon enough she would have her own space to call home and do as she pleased. She wondered if Daniel Jackson, if Danny, had finally found his home after all those years.

Danny, the guy that was free and passionate, an intellectual nomad that stayed only where he can become invisible, alone in his own little bubble of dust and books, one with the past, hoping for a bright future.

Daniel, an accomplished scientist, a reserved man that said less than what was in his mind, a calculated strategist and diplomat, alone in his own bunker shaking the dust away, covered now in gunpowder, sweat and blood. Not wanting to look back at his past.

Olivia knew it wasn’t bad, she have changed a fair bit since her college days and she would have probably done the same facing what Daniel had faced for so many years. Still her mind tricked her into the first time they saw each other.

_She had just lost her new classmates and frankly, she wasn’t even bothered. There was certain amount of time she could spend in the company of the guys. Good thing was she was working in her master degree while the rest were still finishing their program. She had no time to waste and no expectations of having a university life full of debauchery._

_That just wasn’t her style at all; not that she didn’t know how to have fun, but she was special. Well, others would call her different._

_By now, she only needed a cup of decent coffee to look like any other student around. With the drink already in hand she would walk to the library once more. She just needed to balance her bag, books and coffee; it would be a little movement, only turning around._

_“Oh, shiii…!” She spilled hot coffee over something tall, actually over someone tall. Another human being. ‘Oh, shit’, for sure._

_“I’m sorry.” The guy said in panic. He looked at her from behind his glasses. She was also covered in coffee. His coffee._

_“No, I am.” She insisted and panicked. All her books were a burden, her own glasses slid from her nose leaving her in a blur. “Super sorry actually, too hot?”_

_“Not really.” He took some napkins and tried to clean the brown liquid from his shirt. “Not in comparison to a desert.” He mused._

_“Clearly.” She agreed. The guy seemed unfazed by the accident. Might this be a constant occurrence in his life?_

_“Have you ever been on a desert?” He passed her a few napkins to clean her wet books and sticky hands._

_“Atacama. South America, years ago.” She told him. She walked to an empty table, left her books and bag there while she dried her hands and rearranged her glasses. “Beautiful when it blossoms. You?”_

_“Egypt. Beautiful if you know where to look at.” This guy was a chatter box._

_“Sure, it is.” She added. Funny, not many people from uni would consider Egypt a beautiful place, maybe mysterious, but not beautiful._

_She took a long look at the man in front of her. Tall, slim, dark blond hair covering part of his eyes, eyes as blue and deep as the sky in spring. His eyes smiled behind his big glasses as did his mouth in a shy movement. She wasn’t sure she had seen a smile as beautiful as his. This man was mysterious and sweet almost in an impossible way._

_But there he was, smiling at her._

_“I’m sorry, can I buy you another one?” She snapped out of her analysis. He still holding an empty coffee cup._

_“Oh, no! It’s fine.” He told her embarrassed. “It was just half full, no need to worry.” His hands moved around dismissing her worries._

_“Still. I know how it is to run out of fuel while on campus. Let me compensate you.” She kind of begged._

_“Believe me, you already have.” He was all smiles at her._

_“What?” The question obvious: Was he flirting with her?_

_“What?” He asked back a frown on his pale and angular face._

_“I’m Olivia.” She found herself saying. “Nice to meet you.”_

_“I’m Daniel.” He took her hand in his; long fingers and warm palms. “Likewise.”_

_Olivia didn’t know how they ended talking at the cafeteria; he, sipping a coffee with no sugar, and she, holding to a cup of black tea. Talking, just talking as old friends._

The next time she would see him would be under very different circumstances.

_Beraldi would remind her she owed them a ‘full meal’. She was already just done with them for the third time that day. She always kept her words for better or worse._

_Now there were they, in the auditorium, waiting for an opening lecture from the newest member of the Archaeology department, doctoring in philology at the moment. The genius they had been talking about days before. The ‘old man’ that would dismiss their theories and wouldn’t answer her questions._

_“Silence, please.” A very sophisticated woman address the multitude “Today, we have the pleasure of having among us one of the most brilliant minds our university has ever met.”_

_All the students rolled their eyes. That just sounded so pretentious and so very typical of university teachers, praising colleagues from the envy inside them._

_“His theories are considered by many as audacious, yet still being discussed by the most prestigious scholars in archaeology around the world. This afternoon, he’ll share his vision on dead languages as part of his Philology doctorate. Please, welcome Doctor Daniel Jackson.”_

_Olivia’s jaw dropped._

_She owed her awful friends a full meal._

_And Daniel, cute clumsy Daniel was there smiling._

_Smiling at her._

 


	4. Broken Record

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I know.  
> But you know, life (new job, too much work, end of semester).
> 
> I'm so sorry.

     Her host had said it was cheap wine, but even from her own limited knowledge of Earth standards, she could tell the wine dancing happily in her glass was far from ordinary. Even Sam had agreed with her on that. Olivia had only commented that it was an old vintage bottle she had for Friday nights after a bathtub before going to bed, or those were her plans for Fridays when the moving was finally done.

Stratford had invited them both to have a girls’ night at her new house. Still a chaotic storage of boxes and a few crates, but covered in her favorite colors. Sam had been kind enough to offer her help with the unpacking and the furniture. Vala accepted the invitation in order to see more of the newcomer and also for the free booze.

Now, there weren’t near an alcoholic intoxication, but the wine had permeated most of their senses due to the tiredness all of them were feeling. Who would have said that moving boxes and unpacking stuff could drain their energy faster than a session at the gym? Well, maybe it was that or the incessant chatting they enjoyed while taking books and trinkets out of the boxes the owner of those said boxes didn’t know she had brought to Colorado Springs.

“You know? The dresses are fine, but the colors… meh. Not my style.” Vala said modelling the simple gray dress in front of a large mirror in what Olivia called her bedroom.

“Thank you.” Olivia took a blue dress and put it on a hanger in her closet. “I worked for some years as a corporate translator and interpreter. The _uniform_ was a must, then I got used to them, so I bought similar models. You know… the nineties.”

Vala made a confused face. She still couldn’t understand the tradition of separating decades into music and fashion. Earthlings were weird and a tiny bit basic, in her humble opinion.

“They suit you. You have a nice figure.” Sam added seated on the floor, her back on the side of the bed. A full glass of wine next to her.

“Thank you, Sam.” Stratford hung the last of her jackets, while Vala was trying some scarfs.

Olivia enjoyed greatly seeing Vala trying her stuff on. Mal Doran had a very particular sense of fashion. She liked items with personality, literally _fashion_ _statements_. And even after living in Italy and France, the linguist had never quite felt powerful in certain outfits.

Beautiful? Yes. At times.

“Actually, I feel kind of intimidated by the two of you.” Ollie said out loud. A new thought growing on her head.

“Don’t worry, it always happens when I’m around.” Vala passed her the scarfs and spread herself lazily over the big bed.

“I think Ollie’s referring to something else, Vala.” Sam covered herself from a flying pillow that landed at Stratford’s feet.

“Yeah. Thanks for it.” The linguist put the pillow between her back and the closet’s door sliding towards the floor. The room wasn’t spinning around her, just a bit blurry. “It’s difficult to work with Daniel. I look like a lost puppy running after him half of the time. I’m a joke in comparison to you.” She confessed.

Sam gave her a curious look encouraging Stratford to continue.

“Gosh, you two are so strong and independent.” It was all the explanation she could give.

“Awww, you’re so sweet! Thank you!” Vala commented totally pleased.

“Yeah. Thank you.” Sam felt the praised hit close to her heart. It wasn’t something she could listen every day in her line of work. She preferred to consider herself a very efficient professional most of the time. However, she knew her female strengths and knew exactly how to use them if it was needed.

“It’s true.” Ollie continued. “Like everybody looks at you when you pass them by… you’re the queens of the SGC. Everybody notices you.”

“It’s difficult not to with this body.” Vala touched her curves lustfully.

“Oh, come on!” Sam jumped on the bed, hugged an available pillow and complained of something apparently transparent to all the women present. “The rotation in your office it’s a lot higher than in my lab.” She told Olivia.

“That’s because people don’t get your ideas, Sam, you’re too smart for the rest of us plain mortals; and well… Daniel’s unbearable, so nobody pays me a visit, obviously. It’s his fault.” Mal Doran answered promptly.

“That’s your fault, Vala. You know it!” Sam insisted. If Vala wouldn’t have spent so much time harassing half of the SGC personnel, she would be probably dating one of the dashing young officers.

“Wait a minute… you’re pulling my leg!” Stratford made the other two focus on the question at hand. _Was it real she was been noticed? How?_

“No, really…” Carter gathered her thoughts for a moment. “The other day at the commissary some airmen were discussing how to ask you out.”

According to the Colonel, Doctor Stratford had become some sort of novelty at the SGC, which wasn’t unusual, considering that the secrecy that the Stargate program required people they could trust and therefore the new faces weren’t many over the years.

“What?” Ollie blinked heavily at the comment.

“Why aren’t they asking _me_ out?” Vala interjected in surprise.

“Or me? For that matter…” Sam added, only a slightly bit offended.

“I’m just fresh meat, that’s all.” Stratford dismissed the situation. She couldn’t even believe it was real. She just rolled her eyes at the unlikeliness of such event.

Truth was she absolutely adored the confidence that Sam and Vala exuded in BDU’s or jeans when out for a pool night. But she considered herself a more classic beauty, not a striking one.

If she had to classify women into seasons, Sam would be summer, bright and warm; Vala, winter, delicate and lethal; and herself, plain old fall, something in between. Something that took some effort to appreciate; and that was her consolation: she needed to be observed in detail to be loved as a whole.

Well, maybe it had to do with the horrendous and gigantic glasses she wore while studying. She always called herself an _owl_ , some people even called her ‘Owllie’. She hated those glasses and only wore smaller ones when she moved to Europe and the nineties arrived into her life.

She was valued for other things, her own upbringing was unconventional, so it only made sense that her stages in life were also mixed up and equally unconventional. She found her beauty in adulthood and through the eyes of others over her academic accomplishments and humanitarian efforts.

“Wait a second…” Sam reacted first. Her blue eyes shone in astonishment. _Was Ollie calling them old?_

“Sorry, I didn’t want to offend you.” Olivia yielded easily.

“Ok, tell us… Do you have a boyfriend?” Vala asked suddenly.

“No.” Stratford grimaced. “You would expect that from someone like me, but no.” Vala had told her before she looked serious and trustworthy, like a mom of four and with a husband that worked in accounting.

“A husband? An ex-husband?” Mal Doran insisted. “It’s not a crime, I got one and plenty others, just not on this side of the galaxy.”

“Do you?” Olivia could feel the wine evaporating from her system just by the surprise of that statement. She had read plenty of mission reports, but there were plenty more left to read and she was far to reach the ones when Vala came on board of SG1. She only knew the essential parts about Mal Doran.

“Oh, yeah, she does.” Carter confirmed with a stretch of her arms over the bed. “What about you?”

“I almost got married a few years ago.” Ollie said. A sad expression on her dark eyes. “It didn’t work. We were just… different, you know?”

“Yeah, I’ve been there too.” Sam remembered, with a bitter smile of her own. “He was a good man, but I guess I wasn’t ready.”

“At least yours was a good man.” The linguist provided casually.

“Did yours hit you? Cheated on you?” Vala literally moved in a flash and sat next to her. “I can kill him if you ask. Hundred percent guaranteed satisfaction.”

“Nah, it doesn’t matter now.” Stratford patted Vala’s arm in earnest. It was cute to have support. “I just woke up one morning and realized that I wasn’t in love with him anymore. I didn’t want the life he was offering me.”

“You’re a brave woman.” Sam smiled kindly. She could totally relate to saying _no_ to something you thought you deserve, but at the same time wasn’t good enough for you.

“Cheers for that!” Vala found the long forgotten glass Sam left by the bed.

“Well said. For the brave women of the SGC!” Carter did feel herself a bit tipsy.

“Cheers!” Ollie stood on her feet and moved to the bed, only to hit something under the bed.

“Oops…” Vala and Sam held their host as fast as they could.

“Damn box!” Stratford pulled the small wooden safe from under the bed, put it on her lap and opened it.

“Hey, what’s that?” Vala moved closer and waited for the treasures to be unburied.

“Oh! Old pictures, uni times.” Ollie took a pile of brownish colored papers and passed them to Vala.

“You sure, I can I see them?”

“Yeah, sure…”

“Oh, look at that! You were so cute!” She laughed when a small Olivia showed up in a pink dress full of ribbons.

“That’s my dad and… my mom.” Stratford completed. A man of glasses with the hair in the same shade as hers held her by the waist, smiling. The woman next to them was serious and a strong presence surrounded her.

“No siblings?” Sam said.

“No, just mom and me now. Dad died when I was young. Mom’s always busy. She’s an anthropologist.” The explanation came out naturally. Almost rehearsed.

“Doctor Dupond, right? She’s an eminence. I’ve quoted her in some of my work in soft sciences. Daniel directed me to her works. Impressive.” Carter put some pieces together about Olivia and understood some details of her life.

Doctors Stratford and Jackson had more than a bit in common and that had started to show in the details of their lives. No wonder then why they fit together like puzzle pieces.

“Yeah, she’s kind of a legend.” Olivia put the picture at the bottom of the box.

“Who’s this guy?” Vala pointed at a man on a dark blue suit. Green eyes, black hair, pale face and with an aura of superiority around him.

“My fiancée… was.” She corrected herself.

“He wasn’t ugly. I bet he’s rich!” The enthusiasm came to Vala’s eyes in less than a second.

“He is.” Olivia answered and then reconsidered. “Well, his parents are. Retired now, he’s the only heir of the fortune.”

“I don’t think you want to give me his number.”

“I would, but believe me… you don’t want to meet him.” Stratford told Mal Doran knowing it would be a bad idea.

“Ok, these are old. _These_ are real treasures.” Sam grabbed a pile and browsed the images. “Look at all these _twinks_ …”

Young men and women, twenty or more, in neon bikinis or shorts all gathered together for the pic at the beach. Sam smiled to herself at the faces and fashion. The eighties weren’t that bad after all and Olivia seemed to agree with her on that.

“Wait a minute! That’s Daniel!” The shout from Vala made the others jump.

“What?” Sam examined the picture again. Olivia only giggled. “That’s not Daniel!”

“Oh, yes. He is!” Stratford told her pointing at him in the middle of the image. “Back at UCLA. Good times.”

He was tall and lean, hair a bit long and his eternal glasses over his face.

“Oh my God! He was such a cute baby!” Carter couldn’t hide her amusement. Daniel looked like a baby when she met him, but this was even a more boyish look on him. Jack… _General O’Neill_ would love to see this.

“A babe according to some friends.” Ollie recalled with a smile.

“I bet he… you know… all of them.” Vala signaled the other girls in the group.

“Oh, no! You’re totally mistaken. He was such a lovely guy back in the day.” The linguist clarified. Just having him in the picture had been a challenge.

“He’s sweet, but gosh! He’s annoying, always doing the right thing, playing by the rules, so boring!”

“He has always been like that!” Ollie remarked. “Not boring, but he was incredibly shy, unless he was talking about archaeology.”

“How did you meet him?” Vala asked and Olivia showed her a toothy grin. “For real, how did you meet?”

“He gave a lecture.” Sam responded.

“Actually, I met him before that. I spilt a coffee cup over him.” Olivia kept looking at the pics in her hands.

“Ha, very Daniel!”

“Oh, yeah.” Sam granted, still dazzled by the pic.

“We became friends after that. He fooled me, never told me he was this brainy guy that wrote articles and was praised by my other professors.” Olivia told them.

“Sam, look at these!” Vala’s fingers flew over Ollie’s and put the picture in front of Sam eyes. “Daniel in shorts and with a beach tan! Oh, look at those legs!”

“Still go for kilometers, I dare to say.” Olivia was delighted in her new friends’ entertainment.

“He was a _babe_. I declare it.” Vala used her most serious voice, before cracking into giggles.

“Oh, yeah!” Sam agreed wholeheartedly. “This is Rothman!” She added with a finger over two guys talking, one being Jackson and the other, a skinny guy in long shorts and with a ridiculous hat and sunglasses.

“Oh, yes. That’s Robert. He was Daniel’s assistant at that time. He was an utter idiot about archaeology, but such a good friend. How do you know of him?”

“He… he died, years ago. On a mission for the SGC.” Sam explained calmly.

“I… I…” Stratford couldn’t find the words she was looking for, not even the idea she had before hearing the news. “I didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry, Olivia.” Vala held the other woman. She didn’t met Rothman, but she knew he was a friend of Daniel and that it was tragic at least, especially if the Goa’uld were involved.

“I didn’t know he was working here.” Ollie fought the tears. Maybe it was the wine talking after all.

“I’m really sorry.” Sam’s blue eyes really apologized.

“It’s fine. I’m… I’m ok.” She took a couple of breathes and kept browsing among the pics. Her sadness in control for a private moment.

“Oh, girls, don’t cry. I’m going to cry too!” Vala filled the silence rapidly.

“Can I see that one?” Sam asked for the pic Ollie was admiring. Better change the topic. It was a close-up of two people. “Wow, look at you two! All in love and lovey-dovey with one another.”

In the pic, Daniel was holding Olivia very closely, both of them looking at each other instead of the camera. Soft smiles and bright eyes on their faces.

“You were definitely together back in uni.” Vala declared and Sam could only agree.

“No, we were just friends.”

“Really good friends I would say.” Sam insisted. “Just look at all the non-verbal signs. He was totally into you! Those big shiny baby blues. He had the same look when I met him in Abydos.”

“I’m glad his wife made him happy.” It was all Ollie had to say about it. There were things that were better leave behind.

“Yeah, but here it’s more intense.” Mal Doran pointed out. The pose of the pic said they were holding each other close. Daniel’s hand probably in Ollie’s waist and hers on his chest. It showed that they allowed each other being touched and were comfortable with it.

“I’m telling you, girls; we were good friends.”

“Ok. I believe you.”

“I believe you too! I don’t believe Daniel!” Vala shot one more time.

“Right! I guess I’ll take those back to their safe and we get ready to sleep.” Olivia closed the box and put it on her closet.

She then looked at her guests and decided to leave them the bed. They were teammates, there used to share tents; they would be fine in her big bed. “You’re pretty drunk for a cheap wine.”

“Do you have more pictures for me to see?”

“Maybe other day, Vala.” Olivia collected the empty glasses around the room.

“Ok, but you should give Daniel a copy, so I can torment him with the memories of his shameful past.”

“That’s a god idea.” Stratford granted. “Let me think about it.”

Sam laughed and prepared herself to sleep. “Oh, please, think about it.”

****

     No matter how much she insisted the wine they drank was cheap. She didn’t even drink more than three glasses and had a headache that was drilling her skull. Sam seemed fine, more than fine, _perfectly fine_. She was even happy in the morning. Vala drank more than the two of them together did and was only complaining about the lights in the kitchen.

“You see? I didn’t even drink that much, but I guess I didn’t sleep that well either.” Olivia rubbed a wet cloth over her forehead. She wouldn’t tell them she kept thinking of those days and cried a little over Rothman’s death. It was private and she would keep it that way.

“It’s a side effect of not being twenty anymore.” Sam laughed and she was sure it echoed too loudly in Ollie’s head.

“Gosh, my head’s gonna explode.”

    Sam ran, cellphone in hand, to the door before the bell rang.

“Oh, here’s the cavalry.” Olivia heard she said. “What did you do, Sam?” She asked.

Carter walked back to the kitchen, heavier feet behind her.

“Well, those crates won’t open by themselves and I took the liberty to call reinforcements.”

Cam’s presence invaded the space with his _Bob The Builder_ outfit, especially the yellow helmet and the tool belt.

“Good and beautiful morning, ladies!”

“Don’t shout!” Vala and Olivia shouted back.

Daniel and Teal’c only waved in silence.

****

“Ok, how is it that you are here helping Ollie?”

Daniel asked. His brows high, his mouth half open.

“She invited me.” Vala said fixing a green and blue canvas carefully in the living room. “She might or might have not said something about free alcoholic beverages.”

“I can believe that part.” He smiled and very carefully moved the left side of the painting.

“Which part you can’t believe?” Vala moved the same side as it was before he moved it. “If I can help someone, I will, you know me.”

“Right.” Daniel moved the right side this time.

“She also said something about me not leaving the base much, and that she knew I’m curious about her and she thought she would give me a chance to actually get to know her…” Vala gave up and pretended to unpack a sofa. “You know, girls’ stuff.”

“Ha.” Jackson smirked and congratulated himself on the perfect position of the painting and because he knew that Vala being at the house was more a strategic move than a social visit.

“What _ha_?”

****

“Your house is very pleasing, Doctor Stratford.” He pressed the doors to the hinges of the cabinet for Mitchell to fix them in place.

“Thank you, Teal’c and _please, please, please_ , call me Olivia.” She said with a hammer in hand. “I promise it’s fine to call me that, it’s my name after all.”

“Ok.” The quiet Jaffa smiled at her. “Olivia.”

Daniel Jackson would hate him after that. He had spent years calling him by his full given name, and now he had just accepted the requirement of a new member of the SGC with ease and no resistance whatsoever.

“But yeah, T’s right. It’s a very nice place, Doc.” Cam gave a very appreciative look to the room that will be a study.

“Thank you. I chose it for the windows, plenty of light in the mornings.”

And it was true.

She knew that working for the Air force would come with certain perks, for example, having most of the employees living in specific areas of Colorado Springs, and that gave her some safety. But finding a beautiful house, or a house that she could call _home_ , was something different.

But she loved it the moment she crossed the door. The state agent had insisted on the connections and places available for her, but Ollie was already in love with the sun filling the space and apricot color the walls got.

“It’s a nice place, the colors are also nice.” Sam agreed joining them.

“Yeah, I’ve been painting every day after work since I moved.” Ollie commented proud of herself.

“That’s what I call enthusiasm.” Mitchell squeezed her shoulders in encouragement.

“I decided to have a life here.” Olivia told them. “I want to _live_ here.”

Sam, Cam and Teal’c didn’t doubt it.

****

     The boxes weren’t heavy, but Daniel wondered how many clothes a woman could have. That, considering that Ollie said she didn’t have many pieces.

“Ok, so we’re now walking into a lady’s forbidden territory.” Cam followed Olivia to her bedroom.

“Your grandma told you that?” Daniel mocked him, another box on his arms.

“Prudish upbringing, I see.” Stratford said to Mitchell.

“Very devoted grandma.” The Colonel accepted.

“Just, leave it here, guys.” She stood near the window. “I just couldn’t by myself and it’s just clothes, but with probably something fragile in the middle.”

Daniel moved closer, put the package on the floor and rested by the window.

“That’s a big bed you got there, Doc.” Mitchell imitated Jackson and pointed the bed still unmade.

“Oh, yeah. I don’t like my partner sleeping on the floor.” Olivia replied casually and left the room.

“Subtle, uh?” Cam commented.

“Yep.” Daniel pursed his lips.

“Do you think… you know?” Mitchell doubted in saying what was screaming in his head.

“No idea.” Daniel walked to the door.

“It isn’t me. In case you were wondering.” The other man stated.

“Neither it’s me.” Daniel smiled. “And I wasn’t wondering.”

“You weren’t?” Cam insisted.

“Nope.” Daniel felt Mitchell walking close behind him.

“You don’t?”

“Not a little bit.” Jackson stopped on his tracks to face Cam.

“Why?” Mitchell threw his hands to the air.

“Hey! What are you doing still there? Move!” Olivia called them from the living room.

Daniel shrugged with an innocent smile on his face.

Mitchell felt the temptation to punch him.

****

    It wasn’t the dinner she had planned to inaugurate her house, but this improvised – _late, very late_ \- lunch with her new found friends was even better. The take-away portions were satisfying and the chattering energizing.

Daniel moved around the dining table and took the trash away. Olivia followed his lead and picked the dirty glasses for the washing.

Cam decided to unpack a few other items out of curiosity.

“Don’t!” Ollie heard him saying. “Just don’t tell me this’s a jukebox!”

“Oh, yes. It’s a classic model with free coin mechanism.” She joined him quickly to make it work. “I have some modern records too, custom made.” A playful wink escaped her.

“My grandma used to play hers on Sundays’ afternoons, right after lunch. It was pure rock and roll.” Mitchell explained looking at the playlist. This one wasn’t rock and roll. More fifties, sixties and eighties.

“Yeah, I know.” She remembered her own Sundays’ afternoons during the summer holidays. “This was also my granny’s. She left it to me, among other things, after she died.”

“I’m sorry to hear Layla passed away.” Daniel said genuinely touched. Olivia only smiled softly at him.

“Did you meet her, Daniel?” Vala observed him carefully.

“Oh, yeah. Strong woman. Hard-headed, but also the kindest woman you can imagine.”

“She tried to teach him how to dance.” Ollie added.

“Is that true Daniel?” Sam snickered.

“Yes, and it didn’t work.” He answered not even embarrassed.

“He has hated _Runaround Sue_ since then, I suppose.”

“How can you hate such a classic?” Cam made the song play loudly. “It’s a classic pop song, in a modified doo-wop style.”

“I’m very intrigued, Colonel Mitchell, please elaborate.”

Vala wanted to hide, Mitchell would give them a very long explanation of a knowledge nobody asked for or was interested in, but that it was surprisingly odd for an Air Force Colonel.

“Originally sang by Dion in 1961 after he split with the Belmonts.” He noticed everybody looking at him with perfectly perplexed expressions. “What? Granny made me listen to it on loop since I was a kid.”

“What’s the song about?” Vala questioned. A challenge in her eyes.

“A girl going around town with every available guy, but the one in love with her, isn’t it Cam?” Carter recalled.

“Oh, my kind of girl.” Vala cheered.

“Would you dance with me, Doctor?” He offered his hand to Ollie.

“It will be a pleasure, Colonel.”

They made some space to rock and roll along the music, which were more laughs and hits with boxes than actual dancing.

“You couldn’t dance.” Vala told Daniel mockingly.

“Actually, he can’t, not even now.” Sam elbowed Daniel. He, looking at the dancers, mesmerized.

“Thank you, Sam.” He touched his ribs in alarm. “Just for the record, I’m a good musician.”

“When was the last time you play an instrument that is not to determine the age of a buried object?” Mal Doran pinched his cheek.

“Well… ah…” Jackson fought for an answer inside his head.

“Case on point.” Vala patted his arm.

     The song was done and Ollie and Cam couldn’t stop giggling.

“That was a good one, you still got it, Doc!”

“I guess I do!” She rubbed her chest, trying to get some air back in her system. “But next time, bring me the oxygen tank first.”

“Deal.”

“Hey, what else do you have in that thing?” Vala approached the jukebox and Mitchell moved protectively around it, just in case. Daniel gave him a thumbs-up.

“You have _The Platters_?” She questioned, as if it was some kind of sin to have a singer or band with that name.

“Yeah.” It was Ollie only answer.

“Let’s play this one, this’s classic.” Cam suggested.

“All are classic for you, Cam.” Vala pushed the button waiting for the record to start playing.

“You have no idea what good Earth music is, Vala.”

“You should skip that one.” Ollie told him. “Too slow.”

“Come on!” Mitchell begged.

“Just skip it.” Ollie said and disappeared in the kitchen.

“Ollie, I _need_ to hear this!” Cam screamed for her.

 _The Twilight Time_ played in the living room. Olivia tried to ignore it.

“You still like The Platters?” Daniel asked from behind her.

“Cam said it. It’s a classic.” She dismissed the question.

“No.” Daniel declared very seriously. “You _loved_ that song, you still do.”

“What if I do? It’s just a song, isn’t it?” She played with the soap and the dirty glasses and plates on the sink.

“No, no for you.” He said softly. “That was…”

“What?” Olivia stared at him with the question so alive in her eyes that Daniel had to tell her the right answer.

“Our song.”

“We never had a song, Daniel.” She looked at the bubbles and running water.

“I’ve been remembering.” He moved closer to her. “There’re still missing pieces, but I got the important bits.” He whispered.

“All of them?” Ollie asked hopeful, facing him.

“The important ones. The good ones, I mean.” He closed the tap and grabbed her arms carefully.

“Oh, then you should remember why I love that song.” She told him playfully, her lips forming a small smile.

“I’m trying.” Daniel noted the change in the music.

_“Shot through the heart_

_And you're to blame_

_Darling, you give love a bad name.”_

 

“That was yours.” Olivia told him. It was Bon Jovi’s _You Give Love a Bad Name_.

“Is it?” He didn’t remember that.

“Oh, yeah.” She took some distance from him. “You sang it once at a bar near uni, drunk as a skunk.” She pushed him to take her place by the sink and do the washing.

She could see him clearly on the small stage, very mad at her, singing at her. She was so mad at him too.

_“Daniel Jackson, come here this instant! Come down from that stage now!”_

“I think the word you are looking for is _merry_.” Daniel corrected, one finger in the air and the soap floating in many directions.

“Oh, dear… keep telling that to yourself.” Ollie took a paper towel to clean his glasses. “But I’m sure of what I saw.”

“Oh, no.” He let her take his glasses off to get rid of the soap smears.

“S _loshed_ , Doctor Jackson.” Olivia continued a bit cheekily. “Tanked up, legless, totally wrecked, out for the count…”

“Intoxicated.” Jackson started to remember. But not the reason behind the drunkenness.

“Under the very influence of alcohol.” Stratford put the glasses carefully on his face. Confused blue eyes looked back at her with a very sweet expression in them.

Daniel enjoyed the view, two soft golden stars shone in front of him lighting up a path he knew and had forgotten, but wasn’t at all scary.

“Hey, you’re missing out.” Suddenly, Cam walked into the kitchen. “You guys ok?”

“Yeah.” Ollie replied still looking at Daniel.

“Just reminiscing…” He said to Cam.

“Girl, you got plenty of 80’s hits on that thing.” He kept saying.

“I know, I change the playlist from time to time.” Stratford commented. “I guess last time I was feeling nostalgic.”

“Come on, you clean later!” Mitchell pressured them to follow him.

Daniel heard Brian Adams playing as background noise.

“I had such a crush on this guy.” Sam said when she saw him.

“Damn, Sam! You can’t say that.” Mitchell asked already laughing. “How old were you?”

“Sixteen… I was a normal girl!” She defended her teenage days.

“Oh, I used to sing that song for the girls when I was at the academy; chasing after my mates’ sisters!” Cam told her.

“Not hard to imagine, you lived on a farm.” Vala completed. “What else was there to chase after? The pigs? The chickens? You lived on a farm!”

“Hey, shut it!” He warned her. “At least I wasn’t stealing cargo ships at sixteen.”

“Not even close, darling. I stole the first one at ten.” Vala corrected him very proud of herself. She was a genius for her father’s standards in criminal acts.

“I was a Jaffa recruit and had started my training with Master Bra’tac.” Teal’c said and everybody went silent.

“I’d just gotten my first PhD.” Daniel added casually. Better to make it sound normal and boring after Teal’c ’s answer.

“What were _you_ doing, Ollie?” Mitchell asked her jokingly. “I bet you had a nice boy from the neighborhood after you.”

Daniel’s mind knew the exact answer before Ollie could open her mouth. This wasn’t good.

“I was in hospital… my dad.” She clarified. “He was very ill at that time, so I didn’t have much of a social life.” Her voice was even, detached.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I…” Cam apologized.

“It’s ok, we all have different lives. That was just mine.” Ollie shrugged with a smile. It wasn’t wrong, it was just life. She couldn’t get mad at every person who asked about her life, unless it was too personal.

“Ok, I guess I’ll turn this thing off, we still have lot of things to do.” Daniel walked towards the jukebox.

“Oh, don’t you worry, Danny. Leave it.” She told him. “You can all go if you want; you have done more than enough for me. I can totally manage from here.”

“You sure?” Sam wanted to make sure everything was ok in the group.

“Yeah. It’s ok.” Olivia said and gave her a hug. “Really, thank you guys for helping me, you’ve been amazing and I don’t deserve you or your help.”

“Look, it was a pleasure.” Mitchell spoke and still a bit embarrassed. “You’re a nice girl, and helping you in this is my way of thanking _you_ for the normalcy you bring around us.” He was sincere in his words.

“Thanks again, Cam.” Ollie hugged him this time.

“Daniel keeps telling us how nice you are and I guess he convinced us in the end.” He added, Sam agreed.

“Guys, I’m here, this is getting embarrassing.” Daniel pleaded, looking for his jacket.

“Oh, darling, just go with it, you love being the center of attention.” Vala reminded him.

****

    She just needed a couple of things for her bag before their next mission. She hadn’t seen much of her team since the day at Ollie’s house and well, they had all been more than busy, that’s why seeing Vala stormed in her lab was alarming by itself.

“Sam, you have to make him stop.”

“Sorry, who?”

“Daniel.” Vala almost cried. “Daniel’s listening to this guy… Bon Jovi… _loudly_.”

“Oh, boy.” She couldn’t believe it.

But she didn’t have the heart to make him stop, not after seeing the new framed picture in his desk.

He and Olivia in a beautiful summer day.


End file.
